CHAPTER 2: Christine's Past
Christine's POV
I am Dick Grayson's sister, Christine Carter. Dick was 9 when I was born, but he thought that I had died. I was born the same day our parents died. A few minutes after I was born, Tony Zucco, who was planning on sabotaging the circus ringmaster by putting the Flying Graysons "out of action," burst into the hospital room and kidnapped me as my mother was signing my birth certificate. As Zucco and his men were driving away from the hospital that late afternoon, Batman intercepted them. He rescued me from him and sent all of them to Blackgate, all of them but Zucco, who managed to escape. When Commissioner Gordon asked Batman to give me to him, Batman declined saying that he would deliver me back to my family himself so that I'd be in safer hands. That night, the circus was still performing even though the Graysons' baby had "died". Batman decided to change back into his civilian identity and attend the circus as Bruce Wayne, leaving me with Alfred, who was waiting in the car. Bruce watched as my parents fell to their death, and saw my brother grieving their death. Alfred told me that I was asleep, but had suddenly woken up and started crying. Now I know why. After comforting my brother, he returned to the car.
I ended up being taken back to the manor, because there was no other place I could go...yet.
Back then, Batman thought that there was no way he could take care of a baby, so he decided to send me to one of the orphanages supported by the Wayne Foundation. As Batman, he placed me on the doorstep, knocked on the door, and left me there. Ms. Blanchard, the caretaker, opened the door and found me with a note. "Christine Carter" it read. Although my parents had legally named me, Batman had given me the name I would use for a long time.
I grew up in that orphanage thinking that my parents had abandoned me. Even though I wanted more than anything to leave that wretched place, Ms. Blanchard cared for me like I was her own daughter. I wasn't very popular in the orphanage, especially since Bruce Wayne would always take a special interest in me whenever he visited; the other girls got jealous of me. He visited pretty often, but I never approached him; I was way too shy.
One day when I was three, I was kidnapped, tied up, and thrown into a van. I don't remember much, but I was told that they didn't harm me because as soon as I was taken to their secret hideout, Batman had rescued me, beaten them all to a pulp, and brought me back to the orphanage. It happened again when I was five, and again when I was nine, except I remember a lot more, including a clown laughing in my face, the cold blade penetrating my side, the blood dripping onto my clothes, and the red staining the black of Batman's costume. I also remember the fear I felt during the entire experience, and when it was replaced by a feeling of safety in Batman's arms. Batman was my hero.
A year or so later, Bruce came to the orphanage with his butler, Alfred. Bruce had come upstairs into my room and told me he was adopting me. I was overjoyed, but my shyness took over. My reaction to his statement was a large grin. He helped me gather my belongings and we headed downstairs. Ms. Blanchard hugged me, and I could tell she was fighting back tears. As I walked out of the doors of the orphanage while holding my new father's hand, I could feel the stares of every single girl in the orphanage on my back. I was too happy to care. However, on the way back, we nearly got into an accident with the car behind us, except the driver was obviously trying to damage the car. It was getting obvious that my life was constantly in danger. Almost to the point where I was getting used to it.
I immediately got used to my new home and family. Bruce always made sure that I was given proper care. Alfred was my grandfather who was usually serious but had a sense of humor. My eldest brother Dick always made sure that I knew I was appreciated and loved. My brother Tim had a lot in common with me. Everything was going well until I was kidnapped two weeks later. Dick had taken me out to buy some clothes when next thing I knew, I was tied to a chair and feeling slightly disoriented. That fear I felt when I was nine rose inside me again, except it was a lot stronger. Tears started streaming down my cheeks as a gun was pointed at my face. I screamed in my throat, feeling frustrated that I couldn't do or say anything because I was gagged and tied up. I felt helpless. I hate feeling helpless. But I remember seeing a flash of silver knock the gun onto the floor as Batman punched the guy in the jaw. Robin took out the thug that was charging towards Batman. Together, they defeated my kidnappers. Batman released me from my bonds, and I hugged him and whispered "Thank you," in his ear. He brought me home and drove away.
The next day, I discovered the secret door behind the large grandfather clock in Bruce's study after doing some more exploring of the mansion. Bruce told me everything, about his alter ego and his sidekicks. I had asked Bruce if I could help him fight crime along with Robin, since I didn't ever want to feel like I was useless and couldn't do anything ever again. I also didn't want anyone else to be in my situation. But he said no. I kept persisting, but he kept rejecting my request. Soon, I got Alfred, Dick, and Tim on my side, but he still said no. I later realized that he was too worried for my safety and he was afraid he might lose me like he lost Jason, his second son. After a lot of persuading and going over certain rules, my dad agreed to train me.
A few months into training, Bruce told me about my parents and the night my parents died. He had pulled Dick and me aside one day and told us that we were related by blood. Bruce told Dick and me everything that happened that night. He handed us my birth certificate. "Rachelle Fawn Grayson," it said with our parents' signatures on it. Dick and I got into a fight with Bruce, but we settled things a few days later. I was now closer to Dick than I was when I first joined the Wayne family. I trained with Bruce and my brothers, along with some friends, for over a year.
In the everyday world, I am known as Christine Grayson, but my friends call me Chris. To my enemies and allies, I am a protector of Gotham City, along with my father and brothers, known as Nightingale.
A/N: If you would like us to go into further detail on any part of Christine's backstory, just let us know and we will try our best to make a chapter later on.